Evaluation 2

How did you use media technologies in the construction and research,

planning and evaluationstages?

Throughout the three stages of our production; pre-production, production and post production we used different means of technology. After the whole production is completed, we are now in the evaluation stage of each of these technologies and software's and how these helped aid the production. This is judged on AS also, as since then our skills have developed and we have used different programmes on the computer to help make the final piece. Not only this, but we are more developed in other areas of different programmes that we have used and can apply this new learnt knowledge into coming up with more creative ideas for example in the editing sector with Pinnacle.

Introduction

Pre-production

In pre-production it was all about getting our key ideas together and then developing these. We created shot lists, storyboards and also took out surveys to help aid us in defining our target audience. We also used a range of different technologies to help us achieve this and to ensure that our planning was done to a really good standard, to enable the next part of the whole process a lot easier and more organised.

CeltxThis year we used a completely different type of software that we hadn’t used before to create our scripts. This was called Celtx and is media pre-production software, designed for creating and organizing media projects like films, videos and more importantly – scripts. It came with the complete format of creating a script and was easy to use so we could pick up on it easily and actually get on with the content and not struggle with the software. Last year, we created extremely basic scripts that were formed on Microsoft Word, which consequently made them look very basic and without the correct content we actually needed...

An image to show the AS script.

Celtx

This year we spent much more time on the scripts so they achieved there intended purpose of directing the characters and guiding the crew on exactly what to do for each scene. Last year it was basically a vague over-view of what happens in the production, whereas this year we felt we needed to involve much more detail to enable the characters especially to understand exactly what we wanted them to be doing.

Whereas this year we had the same amount as last year for just one scene.

ExcelExcel was a vital part of our pre-production as here we created all of the call sheets which we sent out to our actors and the crew members.

The call sheets were key parts of pre-production as it allowed people to know where they were supposed to be, and at what time they were due there. Not only this, but they also needed this so they could see what scenes etc we would be filming at that time. This enabled them the time to look over their scripts and to see which part they would be filming that day. It also indicated their breaks and how long we would be needing them for.This was all done on an excel spreadsheet because the format is easy to work with and the layout it very efficient alongside being basic. The simplicity, however, isn’t downfall of this software because it makes it so much easier to use and once again reinforces the fact that it is an efficient way to have all your information together at once.

ScribdScribd is a digital documents library that allows users to publish, discover and discuss original writings and documents.

This piece of software allows you to upload different documents onto the website so they can be shared and to enable their format to retain in its original way. This is because other ways of uploading your work can alter the format you desire, therefore by using Scribd we could show what we had done, exactly how we did it. Once you upload it, you receive an ‘embed’ code that you can then put into your blog.This was an efficient way of storing and uploading our work. It was also very efficient, and allows people around the world to see what work you’re doing. Last year we used Slide-share which also does the same thing.

Construction

Construction involved the middle part of our production. This was the editing stage of the production and the creation of our ancillary tasks – the poster and the magazine.

Here we used the same editing software, however compared to AS we broadened out horizons and found some better ways to complete editing the sound and different elements like that.

Construction is one of the key parts, baring in mind if the pre-production has gone to plan. This is because it is the actual putting-together of all the hard work and planning that has taken place.

Cameras

Obviously for the construction of our production a camera was absolutely vital. We took this on all of our production filming dates along with a tripod in order to get still images unless we needed hand-held ones and also a memory card.

Last year we used just a basic, Panasonic camera which gave us reasonable quality of the image and sound. However, this year we used a HD camera to get a clearer image which as a consequence makes the production look a lot more professional. Regarding sound we did change it on a different software called Audacity.

High definition means that the overall image that is being recorded is clearer and wont pixelate as much as a normal image would when it is put onto different size screens.

Pinnacle

Pinnacle was the editing software that we used n order to put all the clips together. This was such a vital part of the production as it collated everything together in a format, style and order that we all wanted. This was the same software that we used in our AS production. However, this time we did suffer some problems with what we were creating in the editing stage which was down to this software that we were using. Firstly, we couldn’t use some of the styles of editing that we wanted to do because the software was quite outdated. We attempted to speed up and slow down some of the clips that we wanted to use. This wouldn’t work as it changed the format and positioning of the clip. After much time trying to work out the problem we had to come up with different ways around it or completely scrap the ideas that we had. However, this wasn’t all a bad things as it enabled us to come up with more creative ways to show our clips. This software is very basic and fairly easy to use, which means in real film productions that it wouldn’t be used and more advanced, complex software would be used.We did have to edit our sound in a completely different software this year to make it sound better, which we then imported into the programme and uploaded onto the trailer.

AudacityAudacity is a software that enables you to edit the sound of something and lets you manipulate it in any way you want in order to achieve the actual sound you want. This can range from changing to pitch to the pace of the clip being edited. We used audacity this year, in our A2 production, as some of the sound we recorded during the filming wasn’t adequate and didn’t quite fit. The key point we used it for was when our antagonist said, ‘Get the girl’. In her own voice it was shouted, but it didn’t sound threatening enough because we wanted her portrayed as a threat and an evil character. This meant we needed to change the clip completely and then import it back in so the impact of what she says appeals more to the audience with it sounding more violent and aggressive.We changed the pitch and had two different pitches over one another. This gave it a slightly higher sound and then a deep, threatening undertone underneath. We also changed the volume by increasing it a lot, which therefore meant it would make the audience jump – alongside being matched with the visual clip – which is one of the key elements and conventions of a horror film.

Adobe Photoshop

Photoshop is a raster graphics editor that can be used for all images. We used it primarily for our post production tasks of creating a poster and a magazine front cover to help create a promotional package for our film. We didn’t use this in AS which meant it was a new software to learn. However, it did take some time to get the hang of this.We needed to change the lighting of some pictures, blend the background and blur some of the parts alongside adding the text and the billing blocks into the picture. The final pieces we created were amazing and couldn’t have been created in a different software to that standard.

Evaluation and Distribution

The final part of our production was the evaluation and distribution. This involved using our blog in order to document the whole process by frequently posting updates and different ideas or creative things we had planned for the production. Not only this but it was other programmes we used to upload and potentially share our trailer with the world – or anyone who wanted to see it. Moreover, it was different means of advertising and ways of approaching the different forms of media in order to spread the word about our actual production. This section, just like the other two, was absolutely vital and important for the production as a whole entity to work and to be a success.

VimeoVimeo is an online portal where you can upload full videos that you have created, to which other Vimeo members can visit and see if they choose to do so. It also provides you with an ‘embed’ code after your upload is complete that you can transfer into other documents and click on it to see your production. This meant we could transfer the trailer – both the final piece and the rough cut into our blogs to see and access them easily. This programme and technology was vital for our production so that we could actually share the finished trailer with people. This made it easy and more efficient for us as it provided the embed code. This was also used in AS because it was a necessary software that let us view the final product.

The only difference this year was the quality of the video we uploaded as it was HD which meant it took longer. However, this was worth the longer wait as it meant our production looked more professional.

Blogger

Blogger is an online programme where you can design and create your own blog based on anything you want, for the world to see. This was relevant for our production as we needed to record each stage of the whole process and doing so on Blogger is a convenient and efficient way of doing so. It is good as you can redraft and update your posts as many times as you like and also keep them in a structured order by dating them. Not only this, but before publishing you can preview what your post will look like to ensure it is in the correct format.

We also used this in AS but this year my blog has been more thorough and developed as I have incorporated every aspect of planning as well as adding a more complex way of planning for the production.

AS A2

Twitter

For the use of our post-production we created a twitter account of our film ‘@somnium_film’. This was a way of targeting the specific audience through means that are common to them. We thought we would use this social media as many people can access it and it can be seen by anyone who tries to view it. It is a means of promotion and is a way of getting on a more relatable level with our audience by accessing them in their everyday, leisure activities. It is also a very new and modern way to advertise the film and allows people to ‘follow’ the account for updates on the film and different things to look out for. We created ‘hashtags’ that link to the film so we could potentially trend (if it was a real film) and spread the advertisement even more.This is a clever and cost-effective way of targeting the desired audience.

PowerPointPowerPoint is a slide show presentation programme that allows you to add pictures alongside text into a full slide show. It is effective as it allows you to create presentations in a sophisticated and simple format. It was necessary for our post-production as it allowed for a way to put all our ideas and evaluations of our final product into a nice, formatted layout.

This was also used in the preproduction stage where we created analysis of different trailers in order to learn the typical trailer conventions and different aspect to involve in a trailer linking to our genre – horror.

Also used…

In this section we also used the likes of the camera again in order to video our audience feedback and also the programmes such as Scribd and Adobe Photoshop. These were used in the same way – in order to upload our posts to then put into our blogs and as a means of editing pictures that we would also use in our blogs. This shows that the technologies are needed in most of the sections in order to aid and support the production in a way that actually makes it so much easier to use and create a successful production.

Conclusion In conclusion this shows that technology is the key aspect of the whole production. It isn’t just on the computer with different forms of social media or software's, but it is also mobile things that were seen as a necessity in order to film our production – for example the camera.

This indicates that when all of the vast range of technologies that we used, have come together – they create something really interesting and incredible.Not only this, but having the ability to work and use all of these different forms of technologies is a huge part of it too. Because if you weren’t able to correctly use them, then you would get nowhere. This is down to being patient and learning as you go, and also the actual programmes being easy and simple to use – especially for new comers. However, if this production were to be created by someone professional then I presume that an even larger range of potentially more advanced technologies would be used that take a long time to train on.

Overall, the production was successful and it couldn’t have been achieved to this standard without the input and use of all the different forms of technologies that constructed the final product and everything inbetween.